Chad Knaus and Steve Letarte were suspended and fined $100,000 each because the cars for Gordon and Johnson both failed initial inspections last week in California. Gordon and Johnson each was docked 100 points.

"The penalties are excessive," Hendrick said yesterday. "But we're not going to put time and resources into issuing an appeal. Instead, we will direct that energy into our internal processes to make sure we have full confidence that our cars will meet standards when presented for inspection each week."

Notice of intent to appeal would have allowed Knaus and Letarte to work this weekend at New Hampshire. Many thought Hendrick would appeal because he'd want his crew chiefs at Sunday's Car of Tomorrow race collecting data in what should be a preview of the Sept. 16 Chase for the championship opener.

Roush, Red Sox team up

Carl Edwards' No. 99 car has been repainted white, with the traditional red stitches of a baseball, to celebrate his first visit to the land of the Boston Red Sox since the ballclub's owners invested in his race team. The car will also sport the Red Sox name and logo on the hood and sides, and even Edwards' helmet has been painted white with red seams. The nines on the car matched the font of the ones on the Red Sox's jerseys.

Jack Roush sold half of his team this winter to Fenway Sports Group, a sister company of the Red Sox, in a deal that brought him clout and revenue within his sport and a marketing arm that extended into an area that has traditionally been cool to auto racing.

Sunday's race in Loudon, N.H., will be the Roush team's first visit to New England since joining forces with the Red Sox. The ballclub has declared it NASCAR weekend at Fenway Park; Roush will throw out the first pitch tonight and several of his show cars will be on the field before the game.

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